As the School Board's decision regarding school closure draws near, members of the community met with West Seattle representative Steve Sundquist this morning to discuss their concerns regarding the relocation of Pathfinder, closure of the Cooper program and splitting of the Accelerated Progress Program (APP) at Lowell Elementary School.

The School Board member emphasized he has not decided how he will vote on any of the recommendations yet, but that he does believe the district needs to close buildings so that it can continue programs and address the needs of its students.

Many of the community members, who met at Coffee To A Tea With Sugar in the Alaska Street Junction, were parents of APP students at the Lowell school. These students are in the top two percent academically, and are taught material at a more advanced level than general education.

While the program has been considered successful, Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson recommended that half of the program, students from South Seattle, be moved to Thurgood Marshall so that APP students might co-exist with a general education population.

Sundquist explained that he is concerned that the demographics of APP do not reflect city-wide diversity. He explained that by splitting the program, the district hopes to give greater access to student populations that have not historically taken advantage of the program.

But parents from Lowell responded to this concern saying that Lowell has never had a waiting list, and that no children have ever been turned away from the program due to a lack of space.

Still, many parents in attendance expressed concern that moving half of the APP program to Thurgood Marshall would overcrowd the school, and prevent the program from growing.

Others discussed the negative impact that dividing the school, and its resources, could have on the program.

In response, Sundquist brought up a new suggestion, that APP be split by grade level instead of geography. This way, he said, families and students would be relocated together.

"I am asking what are the critical success factors to ensure that this program will remain successful," said Sundquist about his decision regarding the future of APP at Lowell.

Goodloe-Johnson also recommended that the Cooper Elementary program discontinue so Pathfinder K-8, West Seattle's only alternative program, could move into the building. Pathfinder is currently located in the Genesee Hill building, a dilapidated facility that is too small for the program.

The most prominent question from members of the Cooper community to Sundquist was why their school was selected to close, despite being academically successful among English language learners and students living in poverty.

Parents explained to the School Board member that their children would be dispersed to other local schools, such as Roxhill, Sanislo and West Seattle elementary, which have not performed as well academically.

Sundquist explained that only two schools in West Seattle were large enough to house the Pathfinder program, Cooper and Arbor Heights. He said that the district's preference of Cooper was based on location.

Still, parents asked Sundquist why if Pathfinder was being preserved based on its academic success, Cooper wouldn't be saved for the same reason?

Sundquist said he would consider that during the next week before he and the rest of the board vote on the superintendent's recommendation Jan. 29. Any recommendations that are approved will go into effect for the 2009-2010 school year.

Important upcoming dates:

Jan. 22, 6 p.m., Final Public Hearing on School Closures at John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence

Jan. 24, 10 a.m., Community meeting at John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence

Jan. 28, 6 p.m., Final School Board Meeting at John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence

Jan. 29, School Board votes on recommendations

For more information, and to see the superintendent's full recommendation, please visit http://www.seattleschools.org/area/capacity/index.dxml.

Rose Egge can be reached at 932-0300 or rosee@robinsonnews.com.